“Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.” So the city clerk pointed out that as no one could deny these things they should take matters quietly and not do anything rash. They needed to be calm and look at matters sensibly, or otherwise they would simply bring down trouble on them all. read more
“For you have brought here these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.” For they needed to recognise that there was no real excuse for holding this meeting. The men whom they had arraigned were not guilty of anything tangible. They had neither robbed Temples nor blasphemed their goddess (had such charges been brought they might at least have been seen as justifying an extraordinary city meeting). So the Roman authorities would not like it at all. ‘These men.’... read more
“If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen who are with him, have a matter against any man, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.” If Demetrius and his craftsmen really did have a criminal charge against these men, or against anyone, then the periodic courts were available, and they could bring the matter before the proconsuls. Let them accuse one another there, and not in this unofficial way, which could only cause trouble. The plural for proconsuls may... read more
“But if you seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.” If it was a civil matter then they should wait for the regular assembly, where such matters could be dealt with, not at an ad hoc meeting gathered like this by a riotous crowd which would only be seen by Rome as reprehensible. read more
“For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day’s riot, there being no cause for it, and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this concourse.” For the truth was that they were all in danger of being called to account by the Roman authorities for this days riotous behaviour and this clandestine meeting. For they could produce no real grounds to excuse the one or authorise the holding of the other. (Had it been a matter of a charge of blasphemy or the robbing... read more
‘And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.’ Then having spoken in this way he quickly dismissed the assembly hoping that its convening, and his part in it, might not have been noticed or might be overlooked. But in Luke’s eyes it was a clear and unequivocal declaration that the authorities saw nothing about the Christian church to disapprove of. We can summarise a number of lessons that Luke wishes us to see from this passage: 1) That the Christian church was publicly approved of... read more
Acts 19:23-Mark : . Tumult at Ephesus.— A change of religion (for “ the Way,” cf. Acts 9:2) bears hardly on certain trades. In ch. 16 the Gospel interfered with the trade of soothsaying; here the art of the silversmith suffers. This opens a large chapter in the early history of Christianity ( cf. Tertullian, On the Public Games; The Soldier’ s Crown) . Demetrius, to judge from his speech, is rather an employer than a craftsman. His business has been falling off, or he fears it may do so.... read more
Ministered unto him; this great apostle had not any to minister unto him out of state, but out of necessity, being he could not himself attend to all the offices of the church. These were employed by Paul, not so much to procure any accommodation for himself by the way, as to further a collection for the poor brethren at Jerusalem, 2 Corinthians 9:3,2 Corinthians 9:4. Erastus: there seems to have been two of this name mentioned in Scripture: the one, Romans 16:23, and the other, 2 Timothy 4:20;... read more
And the same time; when all things seemed to have been quiet: so uncertain are the servants of Christ to have any quiet here. That way; the doctrine of the gospel, as Acts 18:25. read more
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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 19:35
‘And when the city clerk had quietened the crowd, he says, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of Artemis (Diana) the Great, and of the image which fell down from heaven (or ‘from Zeus’)?” ’ Then the city clerk hushed the crowd and spoke to them. With the Asiarchs there, and the city clerk, the meeting had become quasi-official, exactly the kind of unofficial meeting not approved of by the Romans who kept an eye out for such... read more